I love all the unique things you see on each dive. Millions of little aquatic soap operas...between all the creatures. - Kirsten Hubbard

After relishing every bite of her breakfast, Dora allowed Gerald to whisk her to where the surprise waited.

She could barely keep her curiosity at bay and was tempted countless times to ask him what surprise awaited her.

Finally, after walking a distance, they halted at the less crowded side of the beach. And a man greeted them with a smile.

"Hey, Johnny man!" Gerald greeted the man with a hug.

"It's been so long, G! Where have you been hiding?"

Gerald chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing. Ever since I left Nigeria, you didn't bother to keep in touch."

"Ah, yeah; my bad! Some stuff just got to me." He sighed.

"Fair enough. I can relate to that." A pained expression crossed Gerald's eyes.

The man produced a smile of understanding and his eyes drifted to Dora. "Won't you introduce me to this beautiful lady?" His eyes twinkled.

Gerald wrapped an arm around Dora's shoulder and spared her a quick look. "Dora, this is John, one of my buddies."

Dora looked at the man and sent him a polite nod and a smile.

Gerald turned to the man. "And Johnny, this is Adaora, a close friend."

Johnny grinned at Dora. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Dora muttered.

Dora surveyed the area with the hope of getting a hint about the surprise. But nothing stood out. The numerous people lounging on the beachside and the ongoing volleyball game were nothing uncommon.

"Can we get started?" Gerald asked.

"Not yet. Just a few minutes more, we are waiting for the other couple."

"Okay! No problem."

Dora's brows wrinkled as different thoughts ran through her mind.

Gerald and Johnny filled the silence with their catching-up talk.

"Here they are!" Johnny exclaimed.

Dora turned around and came face to face with a man and a woman in shorts and white T-shirts.

"This is Teresa and Timi!" Johnny said with a smile. "They will be joining us in our scuba diving session."

"Scuba diving?" Dora rasped out and swung to face Gerald.

A soft smile played on Gerald's lips. "Surprise," he whispered against her ear.

A thrill crept up Dora's spine and she couldn't stop the smile that formed on her lips. The caramel streaks swirling in his eyes drew her in.

"Are you guys ready?" Johnny's voice snatched their attention.

Gerald sent Dora a questioning look. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"That's great. So let's run over some things."

Minutes flew by with the group listening to various safety rules and guidelines. Next, they went over the process of wearing their diving gear and costumes.

Dora and Teresa were given a skin suit to wear beneath their diving suit. They ambled to the nearby beach changing room and slipped into the costumes.

The navy blue material clung to Dora like extra skin. A bout of shyness washed over her.

This is the tightest thing I have worn in years. Her stomach roiled as she ran a hand down the cloth that accentuated the shape of her hips.

"Come on, Dora, let's go." Teresa's voice came from outside her door.

She sucked in a breath and wrapped her arms around her upper body. Her body pushed the door open and she stepped out.

"Ooh, you look lovely!" Teresa gushed. "Your husband won't be able to take his eyes off you."

Dora's heart lurched. "He's not my husband," she muttered.

"Pardon? I didn't get you."

Dora's eyes flickered up and she produced a strained smile. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay, if you say so." Teresa shrugged. "Let's go then."

Dora nodded and fell in step beside her. Her feet padded across the smooth surface of the sand.

The two women separated as they reached the men. Dora spied a look at Gerald from beneath her lashes. The admiration shimmering in his eyes caused her to blush and duck her head.

Her shyness ended as they proceeded to wear their diving suit. Gerald assisted Dora in wearing all the necessary costumes. Dora's heart fluttered every time Gerald's hand grazed her neck.

She stared in amazement as Gerald wore his gear with utmost expertise.

"I didn't know you were so good at this," she blurted.

Gerald looked up and grinned. "I guess I was preparing for this day."

She blushed and turned away. Her eyes turned to the other people. Johnny was preoccupied with wearing his suit. Her eyes flickered to Teresa and Timi. A frown marred her face as she watched Teresa struggle to wear her costume while Timi turned his back to her and pressed away on his phone. Every other second, Teresa looked his way, hoping to catch his attention.

Relief surged through Dora when Timi spared Teresa a look. However, her relief ended when Timi turned back to his phone without helping his wife.

Gerald growled from beside her and she swung to face him. Her eyes followed him as he ambled to Teresa and came to her rescue.

A smile graced Dora's lips and something stirred within her as she gazed at the scene.

He's not so bad after all!! She thought

Timi turned around with a surprised expression and his eyes darkened. "Good you could sort yourself out," he scoffed and returned to his phone.

Teresa grimaced and turned away. "Thank you," she whispered to Gerald.

Dora's heart churned and the memories of her past threatened to surface.

However, a comforting touch on her hand suppressed them.

"Don't let people like him ruin the mood," Gerald whispered.

Dora jerked her head and swallowed a lump.

"Are we all ready to head out?" Johnny asked.

The two couples chorused a yes.

"Remember, stick to your diving buddy. Now let's go."

Johnny took the lead and a few minutes later, they were by the shoreline of the sea.

A sudden fright climbed up Dora's spine as a high wave crashed onto the shore. She subconsciously reached out and clutched Gerald's hand.

"It's okay!" Gerald soothed and tightened his hold.

Her body tensed as they waded further into the water. Johnny instructed them to shuffle their feet to avoid sharp rocks and creatures hidden under the water.

Dora's breath hitched as the water went from her ankles and covered her waist. Her heart pounded as the water crept up her chest and left only her head visible. Johnny declared it was time to dive and instructed them to let go of each other.

Her fear returned and she sent a frightened look to Gerald. He squeezed her hand and released it. And without skipping a bit, he dived into the water.

You can do it, Adaora!

This is not the time to back down.

Her heart pounded but the excitement bubbling within her overpowered her fear. On the count of three, she ducked into the water.

The water rippled and bubbles formed. The scent of the saltwater filled her senses. Awe washed over her as her eyes skirted around. The sea was bright blue, the color of a clear sky.

Something brushed her side and she turned. Gerald looked at her through his scuba mask. She could feel the warmth radiating off him.

Timi, Teresa, and Johnny appeared beside her. Johnny swam in front and the group fell into step behind him.

Dora's amazement heightened as Johnny led them into a colorful coral reef. An abode for different species of animals. The crawfish and clams strutted around with an arrogant flair

The beauty called Dora and she pushed forward with a new vibe pumping through her. All through their exploration, Gerald never left her side and she couldn't help but feel pleased.

With the guidance of Johnny, they swam further into the coral reef. A school of huge fish swam past and rather than being scared Dora was enamored by their beauty.

Their emerald hue tinted with black gleamed under the turquoise water. Oysters and crabs glided out with no care that humans invaded their domain.

Seahorses and turtles paraded out of their sanctuary. A few miles away, other species of fish drifted out. Some were maroon in color, others had two or three colors with gave them a charm.

Their myriad of colors spread across the reef never ceased to amaze Dora. Her eyes and mind collaborated to soak everything in to store away from future reminiscence.

Several minutes passed with more animals flaunting their beauty and uniqueness.

Dora itched to feel their skins beneath her palm. However, Johnny forbade them from going near or touching the animals. Touching the animals was against the rules of scuba diving.

However, that didn't change the divine feeling surging through Dora.

Minutes later, Johnny announced it was time to round up.

A hint of disappointment coursed through Dora but she pushed it away and followed her companions out of the water.

The exit out of the water was more cumbersome than entering. Dora huffed as she trudged towards the beach. Her legs ached and threatened to give way.

Finally, her feet touched land and she heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't spare a minute before removing her mask and the regulator from her mouth.

Her limbs trembled and she clutched the nearest thing to stop herself from falling.

Someone chuckled and she turned to the side. Gerald was staring at her with an amused look.

Heat covered her face as she realized her hand was bound tightly around his arm.

"Sorry," she murmured and redrew her hand.

"It's okay!" Gerald smiled and stepped closer.

Dora's heartbeats sped up and her breath hitched but she didn't struggle or fight as he expertly help her to discard her remaining costumes.

Relief flooded her as the gear and costumes dropped gently to the ground.

An ache formed on her shoulders and spread across her body. She held in a groan and suppressed a yawn.

A jolt shot through her as Gerald placed his hands on her shoulder and massaged them.

Her body tensed and she stared at him with wide eyes.

Gerald produced a crooked grin. "You need to relax!" The pad of his fingers rubbed soothingly against her skin.

Finally, Dora's resistance waned and the tension eased. Her eyes became droopy and she couldn't stop the yawn that escaped her lips.

Gerald produced a low chuckle. "You should get some rest in preparation for this evening."

"This evening?" Dora looked at him with a frown.

A mysterious smile played on his lips. "Yes. More surprises await you."

★★★★★

Ooh!!

Can you guess what surprise still waits for Dora? 😂

I can give you a clue. It's magical 😉😂

And Our Question of the chapter is:
What do you think about the scuba diving surprise? And do you like any water sport?

I appreciate all of them but I don't like being in the water and large bodies of water intimidate me. 😂

Anyway, things are going to be unconventional this time around.
Instead of waiting for next week's update to find out what the remaining surprise is, this week we are having double updates! Who is excited? 😁

So once, you are done with this chapter, drop comments, vote, and then you can race to the next chapter to continue the adventure 😁

I will see you there❤